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Agendas and MinutesAgendas and agenda materials are generally available the week of each scheduled meeting. Minutes are available after Commission decisions are finalized.View Agendas and Minutes

Members

David Smith, Chair Term Expires: March 1, 2016

Sequoia Ayala
Term Expires: March 1, 2018

Ken SandinTerm Expires: April 1, 2016

Kindra CantrellTerm Expires: October 1, 2016

Duane Williams Term Expires: April 1, 2015

Myrna RiveraTerm Expires: June 1, 2016

Joy MurorunkwereTerm Expires: January 1, 2017

Debbie DwyerTerm Expires: January 1, 2017

Sebastian AmarTerm Expires: January 1, 2017

TWO MEMBER VACANCIES

About the Commission
The Human Rights Commission (HRC) is an 11-member group of volunteers, appointed by the Mayor and Council, to ensure equal treatment, free from discrimination for people who live, visit or work in the City of Rockville. The HRC is charged with minimizing the effects of conflict and promoting appreciation of diversity within the City. To meet these goals, the commission provides a variety of programs and services.

Services
The HRC reviews and/or hears investigated complaints of discrimination, and offers findings. To promote and facilitate resolutions to conflicts, the HRC provides free mediation services to people in the City who may find themselves in conflict with a neighbor, landlord, tenant or business. Mediation helps parties clarify and resolve their disputes amicably for their mutual benefit.

To promote diversity and to improve human relations, it is important for the commission to know and understand the issues that face the many communities that comprise our City. To that end, the commission is seeking ways to inform our residents about the HRC and to learn more about their concerns. The HRC also would like to invite residents from all of our communities to apply for a commissioner position as vacancies occur.

If you are interested in having a representative of the HRC make a brief presentation to your group about commission activities or mediation, call the commission liaison at 240-314-8316.

Programs

Martin Luther King Jr. Day Celebration

The commission sponsors the annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. celebration, which commemorates the work of Dr. King while celebrating and bringing together the diverse community. As part of the celebration, the commission awards annually the F. Michael Taff and Martin Luther King Jr. Youth awards.

Also presented at the celebration, is the F. Michael Taff Award to a business, organization or adult that has helped to improve the lives of people with disabilities. Complete the F. Michael Taff Award nomination form.

Multimedia Contest

The Human Rights Commission challenges the minds of the City's high school students to think globally about human rights issues by sponsoring a multimedia contest. Students are given four human rights topics to choose from to develop a product (video, art, photo, essay, poem, etc.) that serves as a means of creating awareness for the writers and the readers.

Forums

To engage the community on topics that have a local and global impact, the Human Rights Commission hosts a variety of forums throughout the year. The next forum will take place in April 2014 on a yet to be announced topic. This is free and open to the public.